In the period ('72-'74) Eola was a busy place as it was the distribution and
receiving center for most local traffic in Northern Illinois. I worked in
and out of there on the locals and thru frts and in the late summer of '74
during the recession it was the only job I could hold for two months so I was
on
400PM's there.
Here's an outline of operations as it would take many pages to provide
complete details: All local traffic for Aurora, the east end to Congress
Park,the
West Chicago and West Batavia lines,the mainline to Earlville and Mendota,the
Fox River branch,all industries at Montgomery and Nabisco were served by
locals or yard engines based at Eola. Real quickly I count 11 locals or
industry
yard jobs leaving the yard each day.
Blocks of cars were also created for the w/f around the
horn(Mendota-Denrock-Savanna) and for the C&I w/f which at this time ran
Savanna-Eola so the cars
would be back hauled to Savanna or Rochelle by #353. The night runs from
Cicero to Oregon and to Streator would p/u and s/o at Eola. There were two
yard
engines(West Yard and East Yard) on all three shifts. From time to time a
third day engine as either an extra or more permanently called the
"roustabout"
would be added. All switching was done from the west end of each yard. Road
crews s/o and p/u from both ends.
The 'J' would deliver each night or early morning in their yard north of the
main and the day west yard job would pull this long delivery down and start
switching out all this steel for p/u by the thru frts or into the locals. The
'J' also p/u'd in the east yard. The pick up generally filled trk 12 or 13.
They had a carman inspect the track before they would accept it. The east
yard day job did industrial lead work,weighed cars and did general
classification work. The 4PM jobs broke down the inbound w/fs,switched the
reclamation
plant,Austin Western,etc. Midnights primarily made up the outbound w/fs and
switched the RIP,etc. Though these duties could be flipped by the YDMSTR at
any
time.
There was also an Aurora engine each shift that would make a run into Eola.
The day Aurora job would come to Eola mid morning to get cars for the
industries it served and the 4pm job would bring the days outbound cars to
Eola.
This was also about the time the first Powder river unit trains started
operating and some came and went via the 'J'. This was also the time period
that
Datsun was going gangbusters at the distribution center next to Nabisco.
Locals ran with gp7s,sd7s and 9s depending on the job. For example the Fox
River
operated w/three GP7s and then with two SDs. Yard jobs were EMD switch
engines.
Hope this gives you a basis. Contact me off list for specifics.
Leo
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